Program Description

 Lecture and Performance: Avenues of Self Expression --The History and Cultural Impact of Street Performing in America

Appropriate for High School and College History Classes; University Urban Studies, Urban Design, Art History, and Civil Rights Classes.

• Urban studies, design and sociology with readings from William H. Whyte, Susie J. Tanenbaum, Patricia J. Campbell
• Civil Rights with references to social movements, labor, religious, and First Amendment court cases
• United States Colonial and Immigration History with source references

Teacher Guide can be adapted to Primary and Secondary School geography, history and art curriculum.

Background and Profile on Stephen Baird

 A sidewalk minstrel from Boston with over three decades of performances, Stephen Baird, enchants young and old alike with wonderful stories, poems, jokes, and plenty of songs. His repertoire is seemingly endless, ranging from Irish ditties to ragtime to sing-a longs. With leprechaun charm, he accompanies himself on all manner of instruments; mandolin, banjo, dulcimer, autoharp, kazoo, tambourine, and the fascinating limber jack - a percussion instrument in the form of a wooden puppet toy. His legendary "bag full of surprises" includes elephant, bumble bee and tooth paste costumes to dress up the audience plus life size puppets. Stephen Baird makes a place where people meet and touch each other through art and music.

Stephen Baird, street singer, has toured forty-eight states and Europe, playing on street corners, at fairs, festivals, concerts, coffeehouses and over one hundred college campuses since 1971. Instrumental in legalizing street performing in Boston in 1973, he has since become nationally renowned as an advocate of street performing. He has been featured in Time, Newsweek, People, Nationa Law Journal, American Bar Association Journal and many other magazines, a PBS-TV documentary, and at the Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts in Washington, D.C.

Stephen Baird restructured Club Passim, the historic folk music venue in Cambridge, as a nonprofit organization in 1995-1997, co-founded the Bread & Roses Festival in Lawrence in 1986, founded the Folk Arts Network in 1982, published the New England Folk Almanac and New England Folk Directory from 1982-1996, produced Jamaica Plain Open Studios and was the Executive Director of the Jamaica Plain Arts Council from 1999-2001. He is currently the Executive Director of Community Arts Advocates.

History of Street Performances

From Ben Franklin to Tracy Chapman, Louis Armstrong to the Violent Femmes, the streets of this country have been the avenues of self expression for emerging artists and musicians. Entire art forms such as tap dancing to break dancing, jazz to blues, rock n' roll to rap singing have risen from the fusion of diverse artists who have performed on the streets of New York City, Boston, Chicago and New Orleans. The history of popular culture has direct roots in the history of street performances. Today the streets are still a dynamic stew of sounds and rhythms from around the world.

The emancipation of the slaves after the Civil War resulted in a flood of new artistic expression on the streets. The blues migrated up the Mississippi from Memphis to Chicago. Jazz migrated from Saint Louis to New Orleans. Eubie Blake performed on the streets of Baltimore and New York City. The legendary Blind Lemon Jefferson toured picnics and fairs from Texas to North Carolina. For details see: Historical References

Waves of immigrants from 1870 to the present day have found their voices and audiences on the streets and subway platforms. Irving Berlin and Eddie Cantor are the forebearers of the recent multitude of artists arriving from Eastern Europe after the fall of the Iron Curtain. Musicians from Central and South America can be found on the streets of New York City, Boston, Seattle and San Francisco filling the air with the lilt of pan pipes. For details see: Historical References

Contemporary jazz guitarist Stanley Jordan who developed the "touch-technique-playing-style" performed on the streets of Milwaukee and Madison, Wisconsin before moving on to the streets of Boston and New York and greater recognition. Both Martin Sexton and Tracy Chapman performed on the street corners of Cambridge's Harvard Square, much like Joan Baez did three decades earlier. Paul Simon and James Taylor plied the street of London with their songs to earn cash for demo tapes.

For a deeper look at the opportunities and challenges for street performers read Passing the Hat - Street Performers in America (Delacorte Press) by Patricia J. Campbell and Underground Harmonies - Music & Politics in the Subways of New York (Cornell University Press) by Susie J. Tanenbaum. See: Books and References

Web sites to scan include <www.openair.org> (Street Festivals, Street Vendors, Street Performers, Maxwell Street in Chicago, etc), <www.flatworld.net> (Story on Santa Monica legal battle), <www.performers.net> (Stories by Rex Boyd on performing in Europe, plus David Cassel on performances in Australia and tips on how to start out). These professional vaudeville organization sites will lead to many individual site links to noted street performers around the world <www.juggling.org>, <www.magicians.org>, <www.mimes.com>, <www.performingarts.net>. For hot links and more details see: Links and References

Boston was called the "Emerald City" of street performing by Patricia Campbell. Artists can perform in Downtown Crossing, Faneuil Hall Marketplace (Auditioned in March and scheduled April-October), There is no permit currently required in Boston (See this page for details on the 2004 Federal Court case: Boston Legal Battle 1972-2004. The MBTA issue permits for $25. A picture ID is required. It is a first-come, first-serve basis except for Harvard station. Meet at 7 am for a flip to cover the 7 am-12 noon shift, 12 noon-6 pm and 6 pm to closing shift. Amplification is allowed at 80db at low levels and you can sell your own CDs. See this page for links to subway sites around the world plus details on the MBTA permit: Subway Transit Artists

Harvard Square has been one of the country's hottest spots for over two decades. The permit to perform in Cambridge is available at the Cambridge Arts Council, City Hall Annex, 344 Broadway, Cambridge, MA 02139. The permit costs $40/person for one year (January 1st - December 31st), and covers all forms of street performing. It is valid for all public streets and parks of Cambridge between the hours of 7 am-11 pm (till 12 midnight Fri & Sat). Call 617/349-4380 for more information. Amplification is allowed at 80db at 25 feet and you can sell your own CDs. http://www.cambridgeartscouncil.org See: Cambridge Legal Battle 1973-2003

Washington Square Park, Central Park, Broadway show lines, farmers markets and subways all have been stages for artists in the Big Apple. New York City has been in the middle of legal battles for the past 10 years over amplification and performance restrictions in Central Park. For additional detail contact the NYC Street Performers Alliance & Coalition of Artists United for Self Expression (CAUSE) at 212-802-7549. See: New York City Street Entertainers 1700 - 2005

Federal court cases have given street performances First Amendment protection since Goldstein v. Town of Nantucket, 477 F. Supp., 606, (1979). Additional court cases include Davenport v Alexandria, VA 683 F2d 853 (1983), 710 F2d 148 (1983), 748 F2d 208 (1984); and Friedrich v. Chicago 619 F. Supp., 1129. (D.C. Ill 1985). The recent case of Robert Turley versus New York City confirmed this protection and argues only the limits of the city to regulate amplification. See: Legal Court Citations

Many cities in the northeast from Portland, Maine to Worcester, Massachusetts, Hartford, Connecticut, to Burlington, Vermont, to Ithaca New York embrace street performances. Street scenes are more active in the summer months and each city has their own regulations. For details contact local city clerks for the current legal status. See: Model Regulations

Cities across the country known for street performances include Philadelphia, Miami, Key West, New Orleans, St. Louis, Chicago, Madison, Boulder, Austin, Denver, Seattle, Eugene. Portland, San Francisco, Venice Beach (LA), Santa Monica and San Diego. College towns are often open for the impromptu spontaneous performance with a supportive young audience willing to take chances on new artists and art forms. See: Performance Locations World Wide

The opportunities are boundless. With a little fearless ambition and reckless faith in the moment of surprise the next street corner can become a Carnigie Hall where the most profound artistic experience can change the inner and outer landscapes.

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Stephen Baird is founder of the Street Arts and Buskers Advocates and has performed on the streets of the United States, Canada and Europe since 1972. He also founded the Folk Arts Network and Club Passim. Currently he is the Founder and Executive Director for the Community Arts Advocates, Inc. in Boston, Massachusetts. For additional information write or call the Street Arts Advocates, PO Box 300112, Jamaica Plain, MA 02130-0030 USA Telephone: 617-522-3407 Email: info@communityartsadvocates.org Web site: http://www.communityartsadvocates.org

Suggested Activities Before the Performance

1. Locate Boston (MA), Chicago (IL), Alexandria (VA), New Orleans (LA), New York City (NY) on a United States map.
2. View the Performance Locations pages of the Street Arts and Buskers Advocates web site and point out locations on World map
3. Discuss the U.S. Constitution and the First Amendment and Bill of Rights
4. Discuss the three branches of government: Legislative, Judiciary, Administrative and theory of checks and balances.
5. View the historical and legal pages of the Street Arts and Buskers Advocates web site
6. Acquaint students with information found in this guide.

Suggested Activities After the Performance

1. Ask class members to imagine themselves as new immigrant artists and musicians
2. Students may prepare a bulletin board display.
3. Older students may research individula artists such as Louis Armstrong, Irving Berlin, Tracy Chapman
4. Ask students to recall games and songs they have learned informally such as "on the playground" or "in the neighborhood". You may wish to use the following discussion questions:
   • Do you recognize any of the songs or games used in the program? Which ones?
   • Why do you think music was such an important part of the lives of people?
   • What do we learn about people from their songs?

Vocabulary Words and Topics of Discussion

Heritage

Ancestor

Immigrant

Generation

Freedom

Culture

U.S. Constitution

State Constitution

First Amendment

Bill of Rights

Civil Rights

Related Study Topics

Social Studies

Settlement of various groups of people in the United States

1. Native American Indians
2. European Immigrants
3. African Americans
4. More recent immigration of Asians, Central Americans, Russians...

Geography

Students can find performance locations on U.S. and World maps.

Art

Students create displays, flags artifacts, musical instruments and native dress of their ancestry.

Theater

Skits depicting life in country of origin as well as the presentation of music, games, and costumes of each heritage.

Community Projects

International dinner incorporating foods, music, dress, dance and activities indigenous to each culture.

Bibliography

• Passing the Hat - Street Performers in America (Delacorte Press 1981) by Patricia J. Campbell Passing the Hat is still the most comprehensive book on street performing in the United States. There are chapters on the history, legal issues and performance techniques as well as profiles and pictures of an array of artists-- jugglers, musicians, magicians, comedians and clowns in Boston, New York, New Orleans and San Francisco.
• Underground Harmonies - Music & Politics in the Subways of New York (Cornell University Press 1995) by Susie J. Tanenbaum The title describes the book well. It covers the ethical issues and conflicts between auditioned and scheduled artists by the MTA and the First Amendment rights of independent artists.
• Drawing a Circle in the Square-Street Performing in New York's Washington Square Park (University Press of Mississippi 1990), by Sally Harrison-Pepper A scholarly book based on a four-year study of street performances in Washington Square Park in New York City.

  Sally Harrison-Pepper came to my office to conduct an interview while researching her book Drawing a Circle in the Square-Street Performing in New York's Washington Square Park

• Rediscovering the Center City (Doubleday 1988) by William H. Whyte The author, William H. Whyte, was an expert architect witness in favor of street performances in the Davenport v. Alexandria, Virginia and the Friedrich v. Chicago, Illinois federal court cases. He provided important testimony to rebut the exaggerated and bogus public safety issues often presented by city officials to suppress and ban street performances. Details of this issue can be found in the third chapter. William H. Whyte also wrote an earlier book titled The Social Life of Small Urban Spaces which documented street performances and pedestrian behavior (See: Project for Public Spaces, 153 Waverly Place, 4th floor, New York, NY 10014 Fred Kent, President, Phone: 212 620-5660, Fax: 212 620-3821 Email: pps@pps.org. Web site: http://www.pps.org/).
• Chambers, Edmund K., The Mediaeval Stage, Oxford University Press, London, UK, 1903 A scholarly and erudite book with many references and foot notes in Latin, Greek, Arabic, Hebrew, French, old English and old German dialects. Documents the history of the stage with references to street artists known as mimes, jongleurs, gleeman and minstrels. Includes details on the minstrel guilds of the 10th to 14th centuries.
• Cohen, David and Ben Greenwood, The Buskers: A History of Street Entertainment, David & Charles, Newton Abbot, England, 1981 The definitive book on contemporary England street entertainers and "Buskers." Traces the history of busking from the Roman era. The two highlights in this book are:
  • the extensive buskers and street performers interviewed by Henry Mayhew in the 1860s (see the next book)
  • the authors own interviews of street performers in the 1970s most notably Don Partridge and Alan Young (Alan Young became the philosophical voice of this book. I will include quotes and excerpts in the future)
• Mayhew, Henry, London Labour and the London Poor, 1864 The resource material for the previous book and the first major book on sociology in the the Victorian era.
• Colardelle, Michel, Musciens des Rues de Paris, Musée National des Arts et Traditions Populaires, 1997-1998 This is a scholarly book in French, by museum ethnologists that shows maps of Paris in 1694, 1847, 1872 and 1972 then traces street music history through paintings, prints and photographs (includes a recording). Wonderful prints of one man band in 1810 with pan pipes, lute, and drum on his back played with rope and pulley from his foot. Plus there is a photo of a one man band in 1877 followed by photos of the parents and children of this same family playing one band in 1977!
• Traditions, Stereotypes, and Tactics: A History of Musical Buskers in Toronto (Canada), Canadian Journal for Traditional Music (1996) by Murray Smith Scholarly article on history of buskers, street entertainers and subway performers in Toronto. Traces performance history from 1830s to 1996. Includes documentation of the Northern Italian immigration of violin and barrel organ players, both families and children, to Toronto in the 1860s plus the revival of street performances in the 1960s. http://cjtm.icaap.org/content/24/v24art3.html

Additional Books

• Crowhurst Lennard, Suzanne and Henry L. Lennard,; Public life in urban places. social and architectural characteristics conducive to public life in European cities.; Gondolier Press, Southampton, N.Y. 1984
• A.K.A. DOC: The Oral History of a New Orleans Street Musician--James May (a.k.a. "Doc Saxtrum:"), by Geoffrey Edwards and Ryan Edwards, Cadence Jazz Books, The Cadence building, Redwood, NY 13679 www.cadencebuilding.com See review: http://www.jazzreview.com/articleprint.cfm?ID=557 Oral history interview of New Orleans street sax player James May. Describes battles with police and turf wars with other street artists and performers.
• Streets for People (Van Nostrand Reinhold 1982) by Bernard Rudofsky A passionate exultation to make America's street pedestrian friendly. City planners and architects often make an urban environment hostile to street performers and pedestrians. This book explores the great public spaces and architecture in cities around the world.
• Boyle, Wickham, On the Streets: A Guide to New York City's Buskers, NY, New York City Department of Cultural Affairs, 1978 A delightful guide that was funded by the National Endowment for the Arts and New York State and City Arts Councils. The historical notes by Richard Bruno is a great review of street artists from 400 B.C. to 1978 parts of which are quoted in Passing the Hat. Includes a humorous tale of a street magician who fought off two muggers with a handkerchief that was transformed into a magic wand.
• Punch and Judy: The tragical comedy or comical tragedy of Punch and Judy. set down in 1828 by John Payne Collier. now edited with an introduction by Paul McPharlin. The Limited Editions Club. New York. 1937 (Collier. J. Payne. John Payne. 1789-1883) Book on the classic street and market Punch and Judy puppet shows
• Sheridan, Jeff, and Claflin, Edward, Street Magic, Doubleday, NY, NY, 1977 This book by New York City street magician Jeff Sheridan has tips, anecdotes and historical references of street magicians in India and China.
• Lesnick, Henry, Guerrilla Theater, Avon, 1973 Book on the street theater movements of the 1960s.
• Towsen, John H., Clowns, Hawthorne, 1976 Book on the history of clowning.
• Finnigan, Dave, The Complete Juggler, Vintage Books, Random House, NY 1987 How To Guide on juggling scarves to juggling multiple clubs to juggling people. See page 509 for tips on how to develop a street performance routine.
• Cohen-Cruz. Jan, Radical street performance. an international anthology. London. Routledge. 1998
• "The Regulation of Street Music," by J. C. Hadden, The Nineteenth Century, June 1896, pp. 950-956
• Hashmi. Safdar, The right to perform. selected writings of Safdar Hashmi, Sahmat. Delhi, India 1989
• Si te quieres por el pico divertir--. historia del pregón musical latinoamericano by Cristóbal Díaz Ayala. Cubanacán. San Juan, Puerto Rico. 1988 Book on Latin-American street music and street musicians.
• Sous les pavés, la scène. l'émergence du théâtre indépendant en Suisse romande à la fin des années 60. by Anne-Catherine Sutermeister. Editions d'En bas. Basel. Theaterkultur. Lausanne. 2000 Switzerland street theater
• Srampickal. Jacob, Voice to the voiceless. the power of people's theatre in India. Hurst & Company. London. 1994
• Teatro y animación de base en Chile, by Carlos Ochsenius, CENECA. Santiago-Chile. 1987 Book on amature and street theater in Chile.
• Wirklichkeitstheater, Strassentheater, Freies Theater. Entstehung und Entwicklung freier Gruppen in der Bundesrepublik Deutschland, 1968-1976. by Barbara Büscher. P. Lang. Frankfurt am Main. New York.1987 Street theater in Germany
• Zucchi, John E., Little slaves of the harp. Italian child street musicians in nineteenth-century Paris, London and New York; McGill-Queen's University Press 1992

Newspapers and Magazines:

• "Comic and Queer and Old Ordinances of NYC," New York Times, July 1, 1923, section VII Article states 1,600 licensed street performers in 1923
• "Are Silly Laws Taking the Fun Out of Your City," John Woytash, American Bar Association Journal, March 1977, p. 298.
• "The Bands of Summer," Time, August 27, 1979, Vol. 114, No. 9, page 66
• "The Sidewalk Vaudevillians," Newsweek, September, 24, 1984, page 83
• "Stars of the Summer Streets," People Magazine, July 22, 1985 This was an eight page photo-journal review and story of street performers in Boston, Washington DC, Philadelphia, Chicago, San Francisco and Los Angles.
• Symbolic Cymbalom by D. Patrick Miller, East Bay Express, Feb 17, 1995 http://www.idiom.com/~mmasley/tonehenge/express_review.html Article on arrest of artists on Telegraph Avenue in Berkeley, CA
• "On the Corner" by Margit Detweiler. Philadelphia City Paper, April 18&endash;25, 1996 earshot http://www.citypaper.net/articles/041896/article012.shtml Article on Philadelphia street music scene.
• Austin Chronicle Letter to the editor on recent arrest in March 2003 reported at http://www.austinchronicle.com/issues/dispatch/2003-03-07/cols_postmarks.html
• "Licensed To Entertain: New Scheme Gives Tokyo Street Performers Green Light" October 25, 2002 Japan Information Network http://www.jinjapan.org/trends/article/021025fas_index.html New audition and license, musicians, mimes, and other artists can now perform in specially designated public locations without first receiving permission from the police and local government. This new license system was put into effect in Tokyo in September 2002
• "Busker Told To Pay His Way" by Clare Cruise and Sarah Rothwell http://www.oxfordstudent.com/2000-11-02/news/14 Article on street busker who plays the flute and sells his own music recordings without a permit in Oxford, England.
• BUSKING WITH THE STARS Posted by mrG, February 28, 2003 09:29 AM http://www.teledyn.com/mt/archives/000615.html Article on lack of ethics of BCC anchor Damon Gough who tried busking for a day.
• The Sweet Sound of Street Music, Eugenia E. Gratto, July 24, 2001 http://www.suite101.com/article.cfm/6146/74885 Article on Washington DC street music scene.
• Juggling busker up to new tricks by Robin Mindt, September 19, 2002 http://www.onmilwaukee.com/buzz/articles/juggler.html Article on juggler in Milwaukee
• "From busker to bestseller: Strummer's musical journey" by Sally James Gregory, Tuesday December 24, 2002 http://www.guardian.co.uk/arts/news/story/0,11711,865020,00.html Article on Clash founders death in the Guardian, London

  Victorian London - Professions and Trades - Service Industry - Street Entertainers: web iste with book references on street entertainers and buskers in London mid to late 1800s http://www.victorianlondon.org/professions/streetentertainers.htm

Discography and Videography

• American Folk Songs for Children. Southern Folk Heritage Series. Atlantic 1350
• http://www.streetmusicny.com "Street Music" documentary film which focuses on NY street and subway artists by JD Marlow. Completed in July 2003. Site and dvd film includes historical and legal references, interviews with Susie J. Tanenbaum (Underground Harmonies), Robert Turley (Street bass player who filed Federal law suit against NYC) a host of other street perfomers, Music under New York administrators, Fred Kent from Project for Public Spaces, historical film clips by Willim H. Whyte, film clip of arrests. Comprehensive documentary explores performances in public spaces.  

  Below are some sample links to articles featuring Stepehn Baird's arts advocacy work. See the entire web site for additiona references.

  ---

  MBTA Legal Battle November-December 2003

• Boston Globe published two articles Nov 26th by Michael S. Rosenwald
  • The first talked about the partial delay of implementation at: http://www.boston.com/news/local/articles/2003/11/26/mbta_delays_subway_music_rules/
  • The second was an interview with Tracy Chapman and former Governor Michael Dukakis: http://www.boston.com/news/local/articles/2003/11/26/to_chapman_underground_music_is_pure_performance
• The Boston Herald published and article Nov 26th by Aiden Fitzgerald on the delay:
  • http://news.bostonherald.com/localRegional/localRegional.bg?articleid=82
• The Cambridge Chronicle published an article and very supportive editorial last week and new article by Mike Fisher this week on City Council unanimous vote to support the subway artists:
  • http://www.townonline.com/cambridge/news/local_regional/cam_covccmbtams12042003.htm
  • http://www.townonline.com/cambridge/news/local_regional/cam_covccmbtainjunctionms11262003.htm
  • http://www.townonline.com/cambridge/news/local_regional/cam_covccbuskernewgrmskrc11202003.htm
  • http://www.townonline.com/cambridge/news/opinion/cam_newcceditoriabl11202003.htm
• Associated Press articles that have been nationally distributed -
  • http://www.boston.com/dailynews/337/region/MBTA_compromises_with_subway_p:.shtml
  • http://www.thebostonchannel.com/news/2641884/detail.html
  • http://www.cmonitor.com/stories/news/newengla2003/112703ma__subwaymusic_11_2003.shtml
• Christian Science Monitor interviews by Seth Stern 11/17 and archieve article from 1999:
  • http://www.csmonitor.com/2003/1125/p01s02-ussc.html
  • http://www.csmonitor.com/cgi-bin/wit_article.pl?script/1999/11/26/p19s1.txt
• Washington Post story written by Jonathan Finer on the MBTA and Subway Performers conflict published on Monday December 8, 2003. See this link for the full story:
  • http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A44306-2003Dec7.html
• Two Boston Globe article on September 5, 2004 with update on subway performances:
  • http://www.boston.com/news/local/articles/2004/09/05/musicians_t_singing_two_part_harmony/
  • http://www.boston.com/ae/music/articles/2004/09/05/soundtracks/

Boston Legal Battle June 2004-June 2005 ... on

• Boston Globe July 24, 2004, article by Shelley Murphy: http://www.boston.com/news/local/massachusetts/articles/2004/07/24/singers_sue_city_say_theyre_harassed/
• Boston Phoenix September 3, 2004, article "Killjoy was here" - Boston has long relied on onerous regulations to kick street performance to the curb. Now itinerant artists are fighting back in the courts. BY HARVEY A. SILVERGLATE AND DAN POULSON "Given the legal and cultural importance of public artistic expression, as well as the applicable judicial precedents, it is not difficult to predict that unless Boston cleans up its act voluntarily - and quickly - the city will undoubtedly lose this lawsuit." http://www.bostonphoenix.com/boston/news_features/top/features/documents/04097841.asp
• Cambridge Chronicle story August 12, 2004, By Amanda McGregor http://www2.townonline.com/cambridge/localRegional/view.bg?articleid=66429
• Associated Press AP picked up story in late July and was published around the country in various publications including the Metro West Daily News and in Burlington, Vermont, cities in Florida. http://www.metrowestdailynews.com/localRegional/view.bg?articleid=73977

• Boston Globe September 9, 2004 "Musicians, T singing two-part harmony" by Jason Nielsen. Article on subway performers with update on the Boston legal case. http://www.boston.com/news/local/articles/2004/09/05/musicians_t_singing_two_part_harmony/
• Boston Herald, Thursday, December 23, 2004 "Sidewalk shows must go on: Hub gives street performers a pass - for now." by J.M. Lawrence. http://news.bostonherald.com/localRegional/view.bg?articleid=60211
• Boston Globe, December 24, 2004 "In court, city makes promise to let its sidewalks be stages." by Shelley Murphy, -- Strike up the band, pull out the magic tricks, and practice that mime routine: The shows will go on on the streets of Boston. http://www.boston.com/news/local/articles/2004/12/24/in_court_city_makes_promise_to_let_its_sidewalks_be_stages/
• WB 56 News, Fox 25 News, and New England Cable News all covered the story on December 24, 2004.
• Boston Metro Newspaper, December 27, 2004 "Judge rules for performers: Federal judge nixes rules prohibiting street performances" by Christina Wallace http://www.metropoint.com/

Click image for larger readable version

• Boston Phoenix, January 7 - 13, 2005: FREEDOM WATCH Street musicians, one; Boston Police, zero BY HARVEY A. SILVERGLATE AND DAN POULSON VICTORY SONG: Community Arts Advocates founder Stephen H. Baird prevailed in his suit to overturn city restrictions on street performers. But he worries that beat cops might not get the message. http://www.bostonphoenix.com/boston/news_features/this_just_in/documents/04383305.asp
• The National Law Journal, January 10, 2005, "Let the band play on, in public -- Judge overturns 1878 ban on street performers." By Lindsay Fortado http://www.law.com/

• Boston Globe Sunday Magazine, May 15, 2005, cover story "Let the Music Play," by James Sullivan with photos by Laurie Swope. Profiles of street and subway performers with references to Federal Court case: http://www.boston.com/news/globe/magazine/articles/2005/05/15/let_the_music_play/

• Boston Phoenix Eighth Annual Muzzle Awards Issue Date: July 1-7, 2005 by Dan Kennedy http://72.166.46.24/boston/news_features/top/features/documents/04793546.asp

• USA Today, February 9, 2006, Noise restrictions in Chicago muzzle makeshift musicians Rules snare street drummers, others By Judy Keen -- Stephen Baird of Community Arts Advocates, a non-profit group in Boston that advises street performers on legal issues, says courts have consistently upheld musicians' right to perform in public. "The battle is often over noise and time, place and manner," he says. Public performances are part of the nation's history, he says, and "when you ban street music, you ban your cultural heritage." http://www.usatoday.com/printedition/news/20060209/a_streetnoise09.art.htm

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